This is an First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC) project.  The FNLC is a political collaborative working relationship between the British Columbia Assembly of First Nations (BCAFN), the First Nations Summit (FNS), and the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs (UBCIC).

A. Objective

The objective of this Request for Proposal (“RFP”) is to inform and solicit applications from qualified candidates who possess a high degree of professionalism, integrity, and expertise as the First Nations Climate Change Education Resources Consultant (the “Consultant”).  The Consultant will provide climate change education research and writing services for the First Nations Perspective on Climate Change: Teacher’s Handbook(s) project.

The proposal must include:
1.    A statement of experience; 
2.    A C.V.
3.    A cost breakdown, including fees and other expenses in alignment with activities and deliverables; 
4.    The name of three (3) references who have used the services of the Bidder as an education writer, climate change educator or comparable role.

B. Deadline for Applications

Please submit your application in confidence to [email protected] by Monday, August 31st, 2026, at 5:00 pm PST.

C. Project Context, Description and Objectives

CONTEXT
In 2022 the FNLC released the BC First Nations Climate Strategy and Action Plan (the Strategy). A mirrored resolution Support for the BC First Nations Climate Strategy and Action Plan (UBCIC #2022-04, FNS #0222.06, BCAFN #06-2022) mandates all three FNLC partners to implement the Strategy, and to advocate for other parties named in the Strategy including provincial government, federal government and First Nations organizations, to also advance Strategy implementation.  This project takes action on Objectives 1.5.1, 1.5.2, 2.1.2, 2.2.1, 2.2.2 from the FNSCAP.

• Pathway: Inherent Title and Rights  
  • Objective 1.5.1: Enhance public knowledge and understanding of the societal, cultural, and economic consequences of climate change impacts on First Nations in BC, as well as the unique and essential role of Indigenous Peoples in addressing the climate crisis.
  • Objective 1.5.2: Increase public understanding of the role of colonization and colonial laws, such as the Indian Act, in limiting and restricting First Nations ability to respond to climate change.
• Pathway: Capacity and Leadership
  • Objective 2.1.2: Strengthen overall capacity within First Nations communities to respond to climate change.
  • Objective 2.2.1: Strengthen knowledge and awareness within First Nations communities on climate change, including climate impacts, sources, mitigation and adaptation response, and energy efficiency
  • 2.2.2: Strengthen climate-related training and skills development for First Nations both on and off reserve that incorporates both Indigenous Knowledge and western science.  

This project will also fill resource gaps and support professional development for B.C. teachers.  Insofar as supporting professional development, teaching Professional Standard 9 requires B.C. teachers to engage in Indigenous ways of knowing, being, thinking, and truth and reconciliation. This standard supports teachers to teach Indigenous-focused coursework.*  All students in B.C. public, independent, First Nations, and offshore schools are required to complete four (4) Indigenous focused courses. 

There is no parallel standard regarding environmental and climate education and the province currently has no curriculum requirement for students to learn about climate change causes or solutions. However, there are many advocacy groups calling for curriculum change to include climate change, and there are many opportunities to teach units and lessons on First Nations climate change perspectives within the existing curriculum. 

A resource review and conversations with experts in the field have confirmed that there is a resource gap with respect to climate change education resources from a First Nations lens.  The Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions (previously through the Climate Action Secretariat) are developing resources for the K-3 and 4-8 levels, but are not yet crating resourrces for high schools.  The provincial resources developed thus far include some First Nations specific content, but are far from First Nations centered.  Other useful resources exist but none which are B.C focused, and which also integrate climate change information, First Nations perspectives on climate change and are grounded in First Nations Title and Rights.

DESCRIPTION

Through this project, the FNLC will work with a First Nations educator, supported by five designated expert reviewers selected by the FNLC (legal, knowledge keeper, youth, climate expert, First Nations Education Steering Committee) to develop a handbook, or multiple short handbooks.  The handbook(s) will build upon and potentially draw content from existing First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) education guides, principles from the BC First Nations Spiritual Knowledge Keepers Gathering on Climate Change  and other climate change resources. The handbook(s) will connect First Nations perspectives on climate change to the B.C. curriculum and will provide a ready-to-use, short, quick reference resource for teachers.  The primary FNESC guide to draw from is the BC First Nations Land, Title and Governance Teacher Resource Guide.  The consultant will also familiarize themselves with other FNESC guides for relevant content to build upon or to reflect including: First Peoples 12, Math First Peoples, Science First Peoples, and A Field guide to Empowering Students through Learning on the land and water.

 The handbook(s) developed will be concise, accessible, easy to use, and may include lesson plans, and/or units, and additional background material for teaching about First Nations perspectives on climate change and connecting to curricula requirements, beyond the connections already explored in the existing FNESC guides.  Making the guides visually appealing, with a high quality of graphic design**, as well as using plain language, will both be important for accessibility. 
  
These handbooks will be designed for use within First Nations schools and public schools and to support educators more broadly with a First Nations perspective around climate change education. The handbooks will include how climate action is integrally connected to Title and Rights and why First Nations are climate action leaders.  The targeted grade level will be secondary schools/high schools. 
 
The handbooks will encourage and support teachers with using the existing FNESC resources, and will include new and supplementary content.   The handbook(s) will be framed to be provincially applicable across all climates and geographics, but the units and lesson plans will include space for teachers to build in language group and Nation specificity and local knowledge. For example through including guidance on how to localize the units and lesson plans. 

OBJECTIVES

The resource(s) developed will

1. Increase teachers’ and students’ understanding of climate change from a First Nations perspective, including the root causes, impacts, responses, responsibilities and perspectives of Knowledge Keepers and youth.  
2. Promote culturally appropriate climate education, including land-based learning opportunities and knowledge sharing from elders, knowledge keepers, and storytellers.
3. Raise educators’ awareness of the connection between climate action and First Nations Title and Rights.
4. Build on existing FNESC and other organizations’ climate or environment education guides.
5. Contain example or link to supplementary materials which uplift and highlight First Nations as climate leaders. 

D.  Scope and Main Deliverables

1. Handbook(s) outline
2. Draft handbook(s)
3. Presentations and/or interactive workshop at December and April workshops or conferences
4. Final designed handbook(s) 

E.  Timeline 

 Please download complete RFP to see timeline here.

F.    Miscellaneous 

Price 
Bidders must provide a firm fixed price, including administrative fees, material costs, and GST.  Maximum budget is $50,000.00 + GST. A budget over this cap may be considered with a strong rationale.

The contract for this project will be between the UBCIC and the successful Bidder.

Confidentiality 
Submissions will be considered confidential information by the FNLC and will be used solely for the purpose of selecting the successful Bidder.

Questions 
All proposals will be acknowledged. Your proposal submission must be received by 5:00 pm PST on August 31, 2026. 

Submissions and questions may be sent by email to:
Samantha Charlton, FNLC Climate Project Manager (she/her)
Cell: 778-676-7657
Email: [email protected] 

*Effective the 2023/24 school year, all students working toward a B.C. Certificate of Graduation must successfully complete at least 4 credits in Indigenous-focused coursework.

**It is useful to note that the resources will ultimately be professionally designed, but graphic design is outside of scope for this RFP.

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